The present invention relates to an image forming system including information processors and an image forming apparatus which receives from each of them a request to perform a job.
If a conventional image forming apparatus waits for a job for a time longer than a specified value, the apparatus cuts off the power supply to its functional sections, changing over to the sleep mode to reduce power consumption. If the image forming apparatus receives from an information processor a request to perform a job, the apparatus starts the power supply to the functional sections, changing over from the sleep mode to the operation mode to perform the job. However, because the image forming apparatus consumes a large amount of power when it changes over from the sleep mode to the operation mode, the apparatus cannot reduce power consumption if it frequently changes over to the operation mode.
JP-H10-24642-A discloses an image forming apparatus which receives from an information processor a request to perform a job and the time reserved for the job. The image forming apparatus performs the job at the reserved time. The image forming apparatus stores the times reserved for jobs. The image forming apparatus so accepts a request to perform a job and the time reserved for this job that there is no free time between the reserved times. This enables the image forming apparatus to reduce the number of times it changes over from the sleep mode to the operation mode. The reduction of the number of times m reduces power consumption.
JP-2008-209974-A discloses a printing reservation system including a management apparatus and an information processor which transmits to the apparatus a request to perform a job and the time reserved for the job. The management apparatus stores the request and the reserved time, with the time so changed that there is no free time between the times reserved for jobs. At the time reserved for a job, the management apparatus transmits to an image forming apparatus a request to perform the job. Receiving the request, the image forming apparatus performs the job. This enables the image forming apparatus to reduce the number of times it changes over from the sleep mode to the operation mode. The reduction of the number of times reduces power consumption.
The invention disclosed in each of the two documents is such that, if the image forming apparatus receives a request to perform a job when it receives the request, it performs the job immediately. If the image forming apparatus is in the sleep mode when it receives the request, it changes over to the operation mode and performs only this job. This increases the number of times the image forming apparatus changes over from the sleep mode to the operation mode. The increase in the number of times increases power consumption.
The object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system in which, if the management apparatus receives w from one of the information processors a request to perform a job, the apparatus invites one or more of the other processors to transmit to it a request to perform a job, and in which the image forming apparatus performs the jobs by means of batch processing so that power consumption can be reduced.